Trauma-focused therapy is a specialized approach designed to help you safely process and heal from the impact of traumatic experiences. It recognizes how trauma affects both the mind and body—and how unresolved trauma can show up in daily life through anxiety, emotional triggers, relationship struggles, or feeling disconnected from yourself.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, which often focuses on insight and discussion, trauma-focused therapy may include body-based techniques, parts work (like IFS), EMDR, or other evidence-based methods that go beyond just talking. These approaches are designed to help you gently access and shift the deeper patterns that trauma can create, at a pace that feels safe and empowering.

The goal is not to relive the trauma, but to reduce its grip on your present life—so you can feel more grounded, whole, and in control.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy designed to help people heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. It works by using bilateral stimulation—such as guided eye movements, tapping, or sounds—while you focus on specific memories, thoughts, or emotions from past, present or future.

This process helps your brain reprocess painful memories so they become less emotionally charged and less disruptive in your present life. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn’t require you to go into detail about the memory—it’s more about helping your nervous system release what it’s been holding onto. Many clients have had past EMDR experiences that felt overwhelming—especially when dissociation was present but not recognized or supported.

What makes my approach to EMDR unique is that I integrate a deep understanding of trauma, dissociation, nervous system regulation, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Experiencing, and Sandplay Therapy as needed. By incorporating IFS, we can gently engage with the protective and wounded parts of you that may become activated or shut down during trauma work. I also draw from Somatic Experiencing to help you stay connected to your body and regulate your nervous system in real time. This body-based awareness can be especially helpful when working with dissociation, grounding you in the present and making trauma processing more tolerable and integrated. Additionally, Sandplay Therapy offers a powerful, nonverbal option for clients who feel stuck or struggle to access certain emotions through words alone. Using symbolic expression in the sand allows parts of the psyche to communicate in a safe and creative way—supporting healing when verbal processing isn’t enough.

If dissociation arises, we treat it not as a setback but as important information—a protective signal from a part of you that needs care and compassion. My goal is to create a space where all parts of you are welcomed and supported and never pushed away.

You don’t have to relive your trauma to heal from it. My sessions are gentle, collaborative, and trauma-informed, using a range of modalities to meet you where you are—so you can move toward healing in a way that feels safe, grounded, and empowering.

This is one of the most common concerns I hear from new clients—and it’s completely valid. Many people have had experiences with EMDR that felt overwhelming, especially if they were encouraged to revisit traumatic memories too quickly or didn’t feel fully supported during the process. Sometimes, dissociation can arise during EMDR, and if it’s not recognized or addressed properly, it can interrupt the session and leave the client feeling misunderstood or unsafe.

My approach to EMDR is intentionally different. I specialize in recognizing and working with dissociation, and I never push clients to “relive” trauma in ways that feel re-traumatizing. EMDR doesn’t have to involve detailed retelling or emotional flooding. With a nuanced, trauma-informed approach—often integrating other supportive modalities—we create a space where your system can engage in healing gently and safely. In many cases, slower is faster—meaning that pacing the work thoughtfully often leads to deeper, more lasting healing.

Using AI in place of therapy can feel tempting because of its accessibility, cost, and availability, and while AI tools can be helpful for things like journaling prompts or quick tips, they’re not a true replacement for therapy. Healing happens in relationship, with someone who can listen deeply, notice what’s unsaid, and walk alongside you through difficult moments. A therapist can attune to your needs in ways AI cannot, offering challenge, support, and guidance that lead to real, lasting change. While AI may assist outside of sessions with journaling or keeping track of items important for therapists, or help the therapist with note-taking in session, there is no substitute for the human connection that makes therapy effective.